Gov. Walker reported to be willing to sign manure rules as approved

A Kewaunee County Board supervisor said Tuesday that Gov. Scott Walker apparently is prepared to sign regulations that limit manure spreading on shallow soil over fragile karst bedrock as approved unanimously by the state Natural Resources Board.

The amendment to NR 151 cleared the NRB on Jan. 24 and is now under administrative review by the state Legislature, which has the power to revise the measure further before sending it to Walker for final approval.

But Supervisor Chuck Wagner said all indications are that the new rules — which affect parts of 15 counties including a large area of Kewaunee and Door counties — will pass the Legislature intact.

The regulations are based in large part on the work of a Department of Natural Resources workgroup in collaboration with the now-dissolved Kewaunee County Groundwater Task Force.

Wagner said Jim VandenBrook, executive director of the Wisconsin Land & Water Conservation Association, has been keeping “a close ear” on the state Assembly and Senate activity on NR 151.

“The governor has already said he will sign it the way it is,” Wagner said during Tuesday’s meeting of the Kewaunee County Land & Water Conservation Committee, “which means, in an election year the Senate kind of keeps their hands off things, they don’t wanna mess with something the governor already says he’s going to sign.”

Wagner quoted state Rep. Joel Kitchens, R-Sturgeon Bay, as saying the measure will also clear the Assembly unscathed.

County Conservationist Davina Bonness recommended that the county consider a local ordinance adopting NR 151 once the process is completed, which would give county officials the option of enforcing the regulations.

If it’s not adopted at the local level, enforcement with regard to larger dairy operations would have to wait until five-year state permits are renewed, Bonness said.

Supervisor Lee Luft commended the Dairy Business Association and Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce for deciding not to oppose the new rules.

“It’s important to note that unanimous vote by the Natural Resources Board,” said Luft, who spoke in favor of the rules at the Jan. 24 meeting in Madison. He was impressed by a board member’s comment that “the reason that we’re voting on this today is the relentless support – that’s the word he used – relentless support of people in the communities most affected in the karst areas … tons of people who have not let this issue go away.”

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Award-winning longtime wordsmith, journalist and podcaster, Warren is a reporter, editor and storyteller who lives near the shores of Green Bay with his wife, two golden retrievers, and a couple of cats.

For over 5+ years citizens have been working on these manure problems. County work groups..DNR workgroups and months of hearings have ended. This rule change did not end well for you and me…but the farmers fared much better. Your DNR wanted results that would reduce the PATHOGENS being applied onto and into our fields…so….what they did is this…No longer can manure be applied onto or into fields with 0-2 feet of soil to bedrock…24 inches…this equals 2.5% of the land in the 15 counties…this was the best idea they could come up with…? It gets worse…on land with 2-20 feet to bedrock spreading will be approved over KARST FORMATIONS….how is that a PATHOGEN REDUCTION…? This rule was not about the 5,700,000 mol people in Wisconsin, it was about and for the DAIRY INDUSTRY, who just didn’t want to drive a little farther with their manure…moving it onto and into safer fields…some might say…it was always just about their….MONEY…NOT YOU OR ME…? WHAT DO YOU THINK…?

RCS3395

DID YOU KNOW THIS…inside this rule change, the CAFO owners who just got new PERMITS will not have to follow the rule UNTIL THIER CURRENT PERMIT EXPIRES….IN 5 YEARS…OMG..how is that “PATHOGEN REDUCTION…?” People of Wisconsin have been….”SET-UP”…the fix was in long before the work groups finished or even began their meetings…this was always about BIG DAIRY AND BIGGER MONEY…not…you and me…! I’m not happy with 95% of this pending rule change…ARE YOU…?